RTU GRADUATION ENDS WITH THROWING HUNDREDS OF ACADEMIC CAPS UP IN The AIR
Hundreds of academic caps were thrown up in the air at the end of the graduation party at Riga Technical University (RTU), which took place at “Arēna Rīga” on 30 June and brought together 1343 graduates of bachelor and master level study programs, as well as the academic staff and guests – a total of approximately 6,000 people. This was a unique event in the history of Latvia, when all graduates of such a large university received diplomas at the same time.
“Only the students themselves know how much energy, willpower and agility the path to the diploma has demanded. But after overcoming the difficulties, the pleasure of the achievement is many times greater, as you have acquired not only new knowledge but also learned more about yourself and your friends. Therefore, I congratulate you and wish not to stop at the achievement, but to constantly seek the unknown!” RTU rector Academician Leonīds Ribickis addressed the graduates. He thanked the students’ relatives and friends for their support and the academic staff for the knowledge shared with the students.
Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis also addressed the graduates; he praised both RTU, calling it a “creator of the Latvian engineering staff” and the graduates: “I am convinced that every RTU graduate is the national wealth of Latvia, who must be able to give an opportunity to realize themselves”.
Āris Žīgurs, Chairman of RTU Advisory Council and JSC “Latvenergo”, recommended to the graduates not to stop at the achievement, pointing to the need to keep up with the rapid technological advancement, because “training will not end until the last day of your work. Someone will get an appropriate document and become a master or doctor, many will not have this document, but still they all will study all their lives.”
1343 bachelors and masters received RTU diplomas. Most of the graduates – 425 – were from the Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management of RTU. The oldest graduate is 65 years old, while the youngest is 20 years old. RTU diplomas were also awarded to 167 foreign students who had come to RTU from 27 countries and five continents.
The big graduation party introduced the 155th anniversary of the RTU, which will be on 14 October this year. At the graduation, the audience was entertained with musical greetings by the RTU choirs “Gaudeamus”, “Vivere” and “Delta”, as well as the popular Latvian musicians – group “DaGamba” and Ralfs Eilands. The director of the graduation event was Dace Pūce, the friend and supporter – JSC “Latvenergo”.
After the graduation party, the alumni of RTU and Riga Politechnical Institute gathered at the RTU Alumni Meeting.
